Finger shaped thimble



March 11, 1952 c. M. HowsER 2,588,528

FINGER SHAPED THIMBLE: l

Filed July 27, 1948 ummm lllllllll| 1 fuillll, Illiniy IN VEN TOR, aua/e J7. #ou/5er' afro R/v e YS.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 FINGER SHAPED THIMBLE Claude M. Howser, Santa Barbara, Calif., assignor to California Thimble Corporation, Santa Barbara, Calif., a corporation of California.l

Application July 27, 1948, Serial Nu.l 40,905

4 Claims.

. .This invention relates to a finger-Shaped thimble. v

An object of the invention is the construction of. a novel and eiicient thimble which will snugly t the finger of the user, giving comfort and satisfaction.

Another object of the invention is the con- ,struction of a novel and eiiicient thimble which the operation of sewing.

A still further object of the invention is the construction of a novel and eicient thimble which has on its top or substantially at face a plurality of stepped structures that eiiiciently hold the needle during operation, and on its curved sides and bottom portions a plurality of angular or V-shaped elements, arranged in parallel rows, for enabling the user of thek thimble to operate with great satisfaction.

Another obiect of this invention is the production of a thimble that gives more accommodation to the fingernail of the user and to approximate more nearly the actual shape of the finger; this finger shape in a thimble produces the desired sewing comfort and lessens the common thimble blister prevalent among users of the ordinary round-shaped thimble into which the nger must be sclueezed.'

With the foregoing and other obiects in view, this invention comprises certain novel constructions. combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fullv described, illustrated in the accompanyingr drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a View in side elevation of a thimble constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 4 is a' view in elevation of the open end of the thimble.

Figure 5 is an inverted sectional view of the thimble. ta'fen on line 5 5, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows; the rounded sides and bottom portion being shown above the comparatively flat top portion.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of this invention 1s illustrated, I designates the top of the thimble, which engages the top or nail portion of the finger of the user, and 2 is the rounded bottom portion below the top I, this rounded portion including the sides 3 and the bottom 4.

On the comparatively flat top portion I are a series of transverse shoulders 5 (Figjl). This stepped structure is necessary because of the increased size of the thimble from its inner closed en'd 'to its outer open end. Further, the stepped structure, constituted by the transverse shoulders 5, acts in combination with the longitudinally extending grooves 6 to eiciently hold the needle in engagement with the thimble during operation. When the needle engages any one of the longitudinal grooves 6, Vit usually slides along said groove until it abuts against the shoulder 5, then the needle is held securely against slipping until the operation of sewing .is completed.

If the needle engages the sides 3 or bottom 4, which constitute the substantially rounded part of the thimble or sewing area above the smooth band, the needle engages one of the rows I of the V-shaped sockets, riding inward to the narrowest part of the individual socket, where the needle is held securely during the sewing operation.

The eXtreme outer end of the thimble is provided with substantially round sockets 8; into which sockets 8 the eye-end of the needle may engaee, when the user is using the point of the thimble.

The peculiar shape of the thimble (Fig. 5, as well as Fig. 4), causes the thimble to fit the users finger snugly and with comfort, and is primarily designed to give more accommodation to the fingernail bv means of the flattening of the top portion which abuts the nail of the user, and by the pointingr of the tip of the thimble toward said attened top.

On the open end of the thimble a very slight beading 9 is formed, which lends additional strength to the whole thimble.

It is to be understood that the novel and efflcient stepped and grooved structure on the top of the thimble would not be adaptable to the curved sides and bottom, whereas the rows around the sides and bottom, constituted by the V- shaped sockets, produce an excellent structure for eiiicientlv manipulating the needle during the sewing operation.

The plain portion on the inner end of the thimble, ending in the beading 9, extends the entire circumference of the thimble and is not a part of the sewing area.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a thimble having a top portion, said top portion conforming generally with and lying adjacent the fingernail of a finger inserted therein and including a stepped structure, said stepped structure being formed by transverse shoulders, said shoulders being positioned in different planes, said top portion being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves closed at their inner ends by one of said shoulders, said thimble also including two sides and a bottom portion, said sides and bottom portion being provided with parallel rows of V-shaped structures extending generally circumferentially of the thimble with the ends of said rows terminating in the stepped structure on the top of said thimble, and said thimble provided with a small beading on its open end.

2. Athimble comprising a bottom, sides and.

top portions, said top portion comprising a side wall conforming with and lying adjacent the fingernail of a finger inserted therein, said side Wall being substantially fiat, the outer side of said side wall having a plurality of external grooves extending longitudinally of the thimble, said plurality of grooves terminating at a plurality of stepped shoulders on the outer surface of said side wall, said shoulders extending transversely of the thimble and forming stops for bottom portions are provided on their outer surfaces with stepped rows of serrations, said rows being disposed progressively outwardly as measured from the forward end of the thimble.

4. A thimble including a bottom, side and top portions, said top portion comprising a side wall conforming with and adjacent the fingernail of a finger inserted therein, the outer side of said side wall being provided with a plurality of stepped transversely extending shoulders, said shoulders4 being progressively stepped outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the thimble as measured from the forward tip or end of the thimble, said side wall having sets of longitudinally extending grooves with their ends terminating at adjacent ones of said shoulders whereby said grooves serve as a guide for movement of the end of a needle against said shoulders, and said side and bottom portions being provided with rows of V-shaped needle sockets extending generally in the circumferential direction of the thimble.

CLAUDE M. HOWSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 96,166 Timby Oct. 26, 1869 182,890 Chard Oct. 3, 1876 404,910 Horner June 11l 1889 635,369 Bowen Oct. 24, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,157 Great Britain 1904 

